Despite former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak being sentenced to jail over the embezzlement of 1MDB funds, lawyer and activist Latheefa Koya said there was little reason to rejoice.
In a statement, the former MACC chief raised an issue with an apparent double standards between what happened to Najib and several other politicians aligned with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
"Criminal justice must be evenly handed out, and the law must be equally applied. People know this isn’t happening.
"Najib goes to jail - but those high-up in the Sabah government, political allies of the Madani government, caught on video taking bribes - are still free as a bird.
"And (Ahmad) Zahid (Hamidi), chief ally of PMX - without whose support the Madani government will fall - his corruption case was dropped - just like that," she said.
Latheefa (above) was referring to the alleged mining corruption scandal in Sabah that implicated a slew of the state leaders and elected representatives, who were caught on camera discussing alleged bribes.
Zahid is Anwar's deputy prime minister, who was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) on 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption, and money laundering involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds in 2023.
‘Blatant double standards’
Lathefaa also pointed to another case involving a former political aide to Anwar, whose name was "very quickly and publicly" cleared by MACC, believed to be referring to Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak.
"How kind of them to move so rapidly to clear his name.
"In contrast, some others are pursued relentlessly by MACC. Maybe they are guilty, maybe not. But the double standards are blatant.
"So, I am not celebrating. Because an ex-PM may be convicted, but we still do not have a fair, impartial, transparent criminal justice system that can inspire confidence among the people here and globally.
"Will we ever?" - Mkini
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